A heat exchanger for use as an oil cooler in e.g. heavy vehicles may be formed from a plurality of parallel plates, which are stacked, such that parallel channels are formed between the plates. Typically, every second one is arranged to carry a flow of cooling medium, and the other channels are arranged to carry a flow of heat-emitting medium. The plates may be brazed together to form a single heat-exchanger unit.
The basic principle for forming such a heat exchanger is disclosed in e.g. WO90/13394A1 and WO2004027334A1.
When in use, the heat exchanger is typically arranged in a cavity, through which the cooling medium is caused to flow, while heat-emitting medium is fed through an inlet opening of the heat exchanger, through the channels for the heat-emitting medium, after which the cooled heat-emitting medium is extracted through an outlet opening of the heat exchanger. Hence, the channels for the cooling medium are open to the cavity.
Due to vibrations and manufacturing tolerances, there is always a space between the walls confining the cavity and the heat exchanger. This space will cause some of the cooling medium to bypass the heat exchanger, thus negatively affecting its efficiency.
GB2130354A discloses how a sealing strip comprising a rubber-elastic material may be used to prevent the cooling medium from bypassing the heat exchanger.
Similarly, DE 4020754A1 discloses how a plurality of sealing lips may be arranged to prevent the cooling medium from bypassing the heat exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,874 B2 discloses how a plurality of shims and baffle clips may be arranged to close the longitudinal sides of the heat exchanger, thus effectively preventing the cooling medium from bypassing the heat exchanger.
There is a need for an improved heat exchanger, which is suitable for use as an oil cooler in e.g. heavy vehicles.